Spring cushion



Much 31, 1931.- FgKA'RR 1,798,885

SPRING csmronI Filed. June 1, 1925 In wen'or: ,francis farm PatentedMar. 31, 1931 FRANCIS KARR, or HOLLAND, MICHIGAN SPRING- CUSHIONApplcation filed .Tune 1,

This invention relates to a spring assembly for use in beds, mattresses,cushions and the like in which helical springs are employed.

One of. the objects of the invention is the provision of new and.improved means for connecting the adjacent portions of the coil springsconstituting the spring assembly in such a manner that they will be heldin proper spaced relation under all conditions of service.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmeans for connecting the terminal 'coils of adjacent rows of helicalsprings in a spring assembly in such a manner as to provide a doublehinged connection between the rows and insure a .unitormty in freedom oflmovement of the spring units constituting the assembly.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved spring assembly for beds, mattresses, cushions and the likethat is cheap to manufacture, simple in construction, easily assembled,comfortable to the user, noiseless, and one that is not likely to becomebroken or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom'the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which 0 ,Fig 1 is a plan view of a portion of a seatcushion assembly;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof, with parts brokenaway;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the helical springs ;V f

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified' form of cushion assembly, withparts broken away;

Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing a still iurther modified form of thedevice. i A

On the drawings, the reference character 10 designates a portio'n of aspring assembly i which is adapted tobe employed in a mattress, bed,cushion or the like, but which `for convenience will be termed a cushionassembly. The assembly- 10 comprises a group of coil springs 11 whichare preferably arranged in rows, both longitudinally and transverselyofthe cushion. They .are held in assem- I 5 bled relationbysuitablemeans as the con- 1925. Serial No. $3,899.

necting helical coils 12 for forming a double hinge between adjacentrows of the springs.

The springs 11 may be arranged so that the connecting coils 12 Willextend either longitudinallyof or transversely to the cushion assembly,but for convenience of description `they will be considered as extendingtransversely thereto.

In the preferred form of the device, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, eachcoil spring l1 terminates at each end in an enlarged coil which isprovided at opposite sides of the spring with shouldered or distortedportions which are adapted to be engaged by the' connecting helical coil12 for preventing relative lateral androtativejmovement of the terminalcoils. These shouldered portions are so arranged that when the springs11 are assembled they lwill be lSubstantiall parallel, will lie in thesame plane, and the s ouldered portions of one spring will be contiguousto the shouldered portions of adjacent y sprin These shouldered portionsare adapted to lise engaged by the connecting coils 12 for holding thesprings 11 from rotating or moving laterally relatively to each other.In the .form of the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of theinvention the shouldered portions are formed by providing one or moreoifsetsin each end and at an intermediate portion in the terminal coils15 of each spring 11'. Preferably the ends and parts of the terminalcoils opposite to the ends are formed into sinuous portions 13 and 14that are substantially parallel, whereby when thesprings are assembledthe corresponding sinuous portions of the springs inthe transverse rowof the cushion assembly will lie alongside of and be contiguous to thosein the adjoining rows for-'en aging the connecting coils 12. Theinwardly extending` offset portions 16 and the outwardly extendingoffset portions 17 forming the sinuous portionsl of the terminal coils15 form shoulders for engaging the coils of the spring 12 for preventingrelative rotation orlateral movement of the helical springs 11, asclearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The shouldered or sinuous portions 13 and 14 of each spring extend inthe same general The substantialiy straight, as shown at the left inFig. 1.`

means of this arrangement the spring assembly is substantiallyrectangular. In assembling the springs as shown in Fig'.

- 1, they are placed in rows transversely with the sinuous portion ofthe .springs of one row alongside those of the adjacent row, after whichthe connecting helical coils 12. `are threaded onto the sinuous portionsby rotating said coils. The diameter of the connecting helical coils12`is 'such as to extend about thecontiguous outwardly extending oisets.17 and between the opposed inwardly extending oisets 16 of the adjacentrows ot springs whereby the adjacent rows are connected together by adouble hinge that is, the. 0pposedsprings of adjacent rows are connectedtogether by the helical .and arel each hinged thereto independently ofthe other, which permits a free hinge movement between the lrows andresults in a remarkable flexibility of the spring assembly. Theshoulders formed by the bends in thespring will prevent rotation andrelative lateral movement of the helicalsprings 11 and will preventaccidental disengagementl of the interlocked arts.

' After the parts are assembled, the ends of the connecting helicalcoils 12 are properly bent asfat 22 to prevent accidental removal of thecoils. A

By providing each of the coil springs with bent 4or distorted portionsat opposite sides of the terminal coil at Aeach 'end of the spring, 'thesprings 11 may 'be assembled without regard to rights or lefts, top' orbottoni. In

. other words, the springs are interchangeable and reversible. This is'any important feature of;` thev invention since -itIacilitatestas-lsemblyA and simpliiies replacement.

In practice, the springassembly is preferably composed of springs havingright and left turns in order to prevent warping er objectionabledistortion of the assembly as is usual in suchl construction, but thisis immaterial so far as the act' of assembling thel springs isconcerned.

In the modified form of the device shown .in Fig. 4 the offsetportionsat the intermediate part of the terminal coil are much more extendedthan in the formpreviously described. As shown in Figr4, theintermeldiate portion 23 Qi the terminal coil 24 ofthe spring 25isprovided with an inwardly extending otlset 26 and with alinedoutwardly extending offsets 27 at each side of the oiset 26. Each treeend 28 of the terminal coil 24 extends substantially parallel with theportion 26 and is shown as being of substantially the same lengthalthough this is not necessary. The end 28 is provided with an inwardlyextending offset 29. A portion 31 of the terminal coil betweenthe'oset's 26 and 29 is substantially strai ht or slightly curved forforming a marginstraight edge when the springs areassembled. Y)

In assembling the springs, the portions con.- taining the offsets 26 and29 are placed alongside each other and the connecting helical coils 12threaded thereon as.v in the device I `lonly a single coil, the oii'sets26 and 27 are large enough to accommodate several coils."

When the parts are assembled, the connecting coils 12 will engage theshoulders formed by the oiisets 26, 27 and 29 and by the bends at 33, 34and 35, and prevent undesirablelateral movement of one coil relativelyto another, but at the same time permitting a hin e movement between theadjacentprows of co1 s along the spring '12.

The formfof the device shown 'in Fig. 5 differs from that shown in Fig.3 in that the end 40 of the terminal coil 41 is provided with asingleoset portion 42 and the intermediate portion of the coil oppositethe oli'- set portion 42 is provided with a comparatively short straightportion 43. The portions 42 ,and 43 are substantially parallel l and theside.44 of the terminal coil is substantially straight whereby themarginal edge of a cushion assembly will be substantially straight.7

In assembling this type of spring the offsets 42 of adjacent springs areplaced opposite each other and the connecting coil 12 'is threaded aboutthe straight portionsl 46 and 47 and extends -across the space betweenthe offsets 42.. The straight portions 43 of one transverse row willnecessarilylie contigu'ous togthe straight portions 43 of the ltionspreviously described.

n In all forms of the device, a double hinge between transverse rows isformed and the shoulders or bends in the .spring engage the coils of theconnecting coil 12 and prevent unnecessary movementof the springs 11.

This arrangement results in a spring assembly that has flexibilityr ofmovement, is noiseless, and that is capable of "forming a.

cushion, mattress and the like which is substantially rectangular inform.

llhile the connecting coils 12 are shown as extending transversely tothe spring assembly, it is understood they may extend otherwise. Itbeing such an obvious departure from the construction shown it is notthought necessary to illustrate and describe the saine. l

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my devicewill be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes`in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may beinadewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a spring assembly, a plurality of rows of coil springs, eachspring being provided with a terminal coil having a single inwardlyextending offset, the offsets of one row of coils being arrangedopposite the oifsets of an adjacent row of springs, and a connectingcoil extending parallel with said rows and threaded on said terminalcoil at each side of said offsets to form a double hinge, saidconnecting coil extending across the space formed by said o'sets andbetween the same, said connecting coil connecting a plurality of springsof one row with a plurality of springs of an adjacent row.

2. In a spring assembly, a plurality of rows tion at opposite sidesthereof, the sinuous portion of one coil being arranged opposite that ofthe adjacent coil of an adjacent row and a connecting coil extendingparallel with said rows and threaded on the sinuous portions of adjacentcoils to form a doubleV hinge, said connecting coil extending across thespace formed by the sinuous portions and between the samesaid connectingcoil connecting a plurality of springs ofone row with a plurality ofsprings of an adjacent row.

3. A cushion spring assembly comprising a plurality of rows of coilsprings, the terminal coil of each springbeing provided with distortedportions, the distorted portions of the springs of one row bein arrangedopposite the distorted portions of adjacent springs of an adjacent row,and means engaging about and between said distorted portions for forminga double hinge between adjacent rows of said springs and for preventingrotation of said coil springs.

4.. In a spring assembly,aplurality of rows of coil springs, the springsof adjacent rows having portions provided' with shoulders,

said portions of adjacent rows being arranged opposite eachl other, anda helical arranged parallel with said rows and connecting a plu. ralityof springs in each of said rows, extending about andcbetween theportions of adjacent springs of adjacent rows for connecting said rowsof springs together and for preventing rotation pf the individualsprings.

5. In a spring assembly, rows of coiled springs, each spring beingprovided with a terminal coil having distorted portions at oppositesides thereof, each of said distorted :portions comprising an offsetextending inwardly, and a plurality of offsets extendingoutwardly,relative to said coil, the adjacent distorted portions ofthecoils of'adjaeent rowsof said springs being arranged in pairs and spacedapart transversely of said rows, and helicals each extending parallelwith saidirows and extending about the outwardly extending oflsets ofadjacent rows and between the inwardly extending offsets of each pair ofdistorted `portions-of two adjacent rows of springs for hingedlyconnecting the `springs of each pair together.

l 6.( In al spring assembly, a plurality of rows of coil springs, eachspring being provided with a terminal coil having a plurality of offsetportions at opposite sides of said coil, said offset portions extendinginwardly and outwardly relative to said coil, the offset portions ofadjacent springs of adjacent rows being spaced transversely of saidrows, and helicals for connecting the adjacent springs of adjacent rowstogether, each of said helicals extending about the voutwardly extendi'ing offset portions of adjacent springs of adjacent rows and between theinwardly extending offset portions thereof for hingedly connectingsaidlast-named springs together. 7 In a spring assembly, a plurality of rowsof spiral springs, the springs at the ends of the rows being arranged inrows transversely to said first-named rows, and each spring having itsterminal coil at one side thereof providedwith a plurality of distortedportions, the distorted portions of the springs in said` second-namedrows being arranged in pairs, the adjacent distorted portions in eachpairy being arranged alongside each other, and helicals parallel withsaid first-named rows, each extending about and between a plurality ofdistorted portions of 4 a pair of distorted portions of said secondnamedrows.

A8. In a spring assembly, a plurality of rows of spiral springsthesprings at the ends of said rows being arranged in rows extendingtransversely to said first-named rows, the. terminal coils of thesecond-named rows of spirals being provided with distorted portio'nsforming shoulders spaced apart, said distorted portions beingarranged-in pairs, each pair comprising adjacent distorted portions ofadjacent springs in l`said secondnamed rows, arid helicals extendingparallel with said first-named rows and extending about and between thedistorted portions of said pairs and engaging said shoulders, theportion of each helical between the shoulders lll lati! o each spring.being at least substantiallya s complete turn of the correspondinghelical. 9. In a spring assembly, rows of coiled springs having offsetportions, certain of said 54 olset portions'being 'arranged in pairsalongside each otheri and a helica-l parallel with said rows extendingabout. the members of each pair of said offset portions for connectingthem together, each of saidl oli'set por- A Y tions having shoulders inengagement with said helical, one of theturns of' said helical betweenthe shoulders of the 'offset portion-fof one spring being interposedbetween the adjacent springs for holding the same Separated. A

10./In` a` spring assembly, spiral springs c arranged in rows, certainof said springs being arranged oposite each ther in pairs, one spring ofeach pair having a distorted porl I 2,0 tion provided with shoulders, ahelical extending longitudinally of said rows and about said distortedortion and the terminal coil of theother sprmg for connecting thesprings of one pair together, said helical adapted toQ engage saidshoulders for preventing rota tion of the corresponding spring, a turnof said helical between 'said shoulders being in-l terposed between saidsprings for holding them apart. w

In testimony whereof-Ialix my signature.

' FRANCIS KARR.

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